Drastic Times
by Brunette S Angel
Summary: Drastic times call for drastic measures.  Zack and Cloud come to a decision on how to make the money to get by when times are tough.  Zack x Cloud main pairing; Sephiroth x Cloud one night stand.  Yaoi.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Previously a forum-exclusive on spopococ's Final Fantasy forum (see link on my profile), she said it was all right for me to share this story on this site as well. I didn't edit it from the first posting years ago, so I'm sorry if there's mistakes. My writing style has changed a little, but I hope you enjoy anyways.

-o-o-o-

Zack hurried home after his nine hour shift at the local bank and practically threw himself into preparing for his next six hour shift at the bar. He flew through the door of his and Cloud's apartment and made a beeline to their shared bedroom. If he didn't hurry, he would be late, yet again, for his shift and he couldn't risk losing this job. The bank paid for most of their rent; the bar paid for most of the bills and food. Most, but not all.

He was in so much of a hurry that he didn't notice the blond sitting at the dining room table completely absorbed in his textbooks. It wasn't until the blond stuck his head in the bedroom door with a frown when Zack realized he was home.

"Are you going to be late tonight?" Cloud asked softly watching his boyfriend tear off his own clothes and replace them with dark baggy cargo pants and a skin-tight black muscle shirt. He had to look good to inspire better tips.

Zack started at the sound of Cloud's voice and offered a quick smile as a way of 'hello'. He glanced at himself in the mirror and ran a hand through his raven spikes before meeting Cloud's eyes through the reflection. "Could be… I'll call you if I get a chance to take a break." He frowned at the sight of his blond lover looking down at the floor. "Hey," he said softly as he turned around and made his way over to the blond. He wrapped his arms around Cloud and pulled him against his chest. "No moping, 'kay?"

"I feel bad." Cloud murmured into the strong chest in front of him.

"Not this again…" Zack sighed as he rubbed circles across the blond's back.

Cloud looked up at Zack with sad eyes and shook his head. "It's not fair that you're the one scrambling for us to make ends meat while I sit here at home-"

"Getting an education." Zack finished for the blond. "It's important that you finish your program so we can live an easier life, Cloud. You know this."

"I miss you." Cloud said quietly as he buried his face against the warm muscles of Zack's chest.

Zack smiled softly and nuzzled the blond spikes with his nose. "I miss you too, babe. We just need to do this a little while longer."

Cloud sighed and bit his lower lip. "I feel bad that you're the only one working right now. You're the only one bringing in an income and you're spending it all so we can, what? Barely scrape by?" Zack continued to rub Cloud's back and shook his head, but Cloud continued before he could say anything. "And supporting me? It's not fair."

"I'm investing in my future." Zack pulled Cloud away so he could look into those amazingly big, blue eyes. "Once you graduate you'll be able to make so much more money. You'll be my sugar daddy." he finished with a wide smile, hoping to lift Cloud's spirits. Cloud simply rolled his eyes. "Besides, we need to go through tough times to get a better life. I love it that I can pull us through while you finish college. It's the least I can do for us."

Cloud took in a shaky breath and nodded. "You're going to be late again. Call me later, if you can."

"Of course." Zack smiled adoringly and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on Cloud's lips. Cloud responded immediately and deepened the kiss as if it would be the last they'd share.

Zack fell victim to the ministrations of Cloud's lips before Cloud pulled back with a faint blush. "Go." Cloud let out a small smile. "And try not to pick up tonight." he added with a teasing wink.

Zack chuckled and made his way to the front door. "Why the hell would I want to pick up when I have a bombshell at home waiting for me?"

Cloud rolled his eyes and smiled as Zack opened the door, winking at him before leaving for his second job. The apartment seemed so empty without Zack. With a sigh, he made his way back to his textbooks. The least he could do was ace college to better the chances of him and Zack having a comfortable future.

-.-.-.-

Cloud stayed awake for as long as he could before he decided he was fighting a losing battle. It wasn't until 2:45 in the morning when he allowed himself to go to bed. Zack hadn't called him that night which meant that the bar was busy and he never broke free long enough to make a phone call. It also meant that he would be exhausted by the time he got home. The bar closed at 2 but they stayed open long enough for the lingering customers to leave before locking the doors.

Cloud couldn't remember falling asleep; he must have been out like a light as soon as his head hit the pillow. He was pulled out of sleep by the sound of their front door opening followed by a quiet click as it closed. He listened with his eyes closed as Zack kicked off his boots and quietly made his way to the bedroom. It wasn't until he felt Zack's weight on the bed beside him before he opened his eyes and looked over at his boyfriend with a gentle smile.

Zack collapsed on the bed, not bothering to remove his clothes and looked over adoringly at the blond smiling at him. "Hey you." the ravenet offered as he snaked his arms around the smaller frame, pulling it against his own body.

"How was work?" Cloud asked, nuzzling closer to the ravenet and laying his head against the strong chest.

Zack looked over at the clock and frowned. 3:30 - he needed to be up in three and a half hours to make it to his bank job in time for 8 a.m.. "Busy." he offered up as an answer before burying his nose in the blond spikes.

Both boys frowned but neither saw the other's as they let themselves drift off into much needed sleep.

They didn't move from that position until Zack suddenly jolted up into a sitting position waking the blond with a start. He looked over his shoulder and swore under his breath.

"What happened?" Cloud's panic-laced groggy voice asked as his eyes watched Zack leap out of bed.

"I'm late." Zack answered, a hint of annoyance in his voice for being so stupid and turning off the alarm in his sleep. "Fuck!" he shouted as he struggled to get into more decent clothes.

Cloud looked at the clock and sighed uneasily. 8:20 a.m.. He climbed out of bed and rushed to the kitchen. He quickly prepared a sandwich and all but shoved it in Zack's hand as the ravenet flew out the door with a quick kiss and 'thanks'.

Cloud stood staring at the door for a few minutes after Zack had left. Zack was right; they needed to bear with his a little longer and they would have an easier life once Cloud started a career. A few more months and he would be graduated. He let out a soft sigh as his heart tightened. Could Zack pull this off that long? He was running himself into the ground just to support the two of them and barely had time to do anything other than work or rush to his next job. It made Cloud's heart throb guiltily as he stood there watching the door. The least he could do was study to honour Zack's hard work.

Cloud made it back to the apartment around four in the afternoon from his last class of the day to find Zack sitting in silence on the couch in the living room. "Hey?" he asked uneasily as he let his bag drop to the floor and closed the door behind him.

Zack didn't look up. His eyes remained focused on the floor by the coffee table, a stoic expression ruling his features. Cloud kicked off his shoes and quickly made his way to his boyfriend, sitting on the couch and placing an unsure hand on Zack's shoulder. "What's wrong? Why are you home so early?" he asked. Zack's expression and body language said it all, but the blond was praying that he had mistaken.

Zack jumped at Cloud's touch as if he hadn't realized that Cloud was there and his eyes met those alluringly blue ones immediately. His expression cracked and his face fell in shame as his eyes darted away from Cloud's, filling with tears. "Gods…" he whispered.

"What happened?" Cloud probed gently, panic starting to fill his mind.

"They fired me…" Zack whispered, his breath hitching in his throat as he dropped his head in his hands. "I was late and… tired…" he tried to explain. "They said they've had enough. I tried to explain why I looked so tired, but they didn't listen to me." His voice was becoming more broken with every word. Cloud's heart stopped beating. "They fired me…"

Cloud rubbed his face with his free hand before wrapping both arms around his boyfriend. "We'll figure something out, Zack." he sounded calm although he felt anything but. "It's all right; this isn't your fault."

Zack snorted in disbelief before shaking his head. "Not my fault? Whose fault is it then?"

"Not yours!" Cloud said sternly, an anger rising in his chest. He wasn't angry at Zack, really, he was angry that Zack was blaming himself. "Zack, you've been working non-stop for what seems like forever." He softened his voice and pulled Zack closer. Zack let his head fall against Cloud's shoulder. "Of course you're tired. Anyone would be. We'll find another way to get by."

Zack shook his head and sniffled. "I feel like I let us down. Let you down…"

Cloud pushed Zack back enough to stare him straight in the eyes. He needed Zack to see how angry that made him. The blond poured as much anger into his stare as he could. "Don't you dare for a second believe that!" he snapped. Zack's eyes broke and filled with pain. It made Cloud's body shake to the very core, but he needed Zack to know he was serious. "We just need to find another way. I'll pull out of school and find a job-"

"Absolutely not!" Zack answered with strict authority as though Cloud's suggestion was enough to allow him to find his composure.

"But-" Cloud started before being interrupted.

"I said no! You'll stay in school; you only have seven months left and I'll find another job." Cloud started to speak again but was interrupted immediately. "There's no negotiation here, Cloud, so you might as well drop it. You're staying in school. End of story."

Cloud frowned and looked down at the floor. His education was so important to Zack, as if Zack was positive that his graduating was the ticket to a better life. How could he sit there without protest as Zack tore himself apart doing the practically impossible, though? They barely saw one another and when they did, Zack was completely worn out.

Still, there was no arguing with Zack. Zack would never forgive himself if Cloud dropped out of college, especially because of his own not being able to make enough money.

Cloud sighed in compliance and looked back up at his lover, who seemed to have been running over courses of action in his head. He allowed a small smile. Zack had this undeterred need to take care of them and for that Cloud was grateful. He loved it that Zack often said that he was 'investing in his future' as it made it more real that the man he loved was planning on staying with him for a long time. His heart fluttered and his smile grew. He wanted to alleviate some of the pain Zack was feeling right now.

"I can always whore myself out between classes." the blond suggested, grinning at the shocked look on Zack's face as he searched Cloud's expression.

"Oh, well, there's always that…" he answered, not wanting to disappoint Cloud but not having the energy to respond too much further.

"If you think I'm pretty then others might." Cloud tilted his head catching the violet eyes lightheartedly. "I may be able to bring home a pretty penny." he joked.

Zack scoffed and wrapped his arms around Cloud, pulling his body close again. "We'd be rich."

Cloud chuckled and laid his head against Zack's chest. "Are you going to be late tonight?"

Zack frowned at the routine question Cloud asked every night. "Could be…" Zack answered his routine answer and squeezed the blond tightly against his body. "I'll try to pick up extra shifts at the bar and I'll be out tomorrow looking for a second job." His kissed the top of Cloud's head and sighed contently. All he needed in life was this boy. Along with that came the need to feed him and provide him with a home. He decided right then to stop moping about the bank job and a new determination filled his mind. "I'll find something, Cloud. We'll be all right."

"I know we will." Cloud smiled.

-.-.-.-

Zack made a mental list of places to search for work tomorrow as he mixed drinks for his customers. His boss was very understanding over his current situation and scheduled him in for a couple of extra shifts that week. He could have kissed her.

He was distracted from his list as he saw a group of six college student make their way into the bar. He knew these guys from their previous visits and knew that they tipped well. He watched them file through the bar and prayed they took a seat in his section, smiling when they unloaded at one of his tables.

He placed a drink in front of the woman sitting at the bar with an easy grin and made his way over the others. "Pitcher of Midgar brew or are we mixing it up tonight?" he asked enthusiastically, gesturing with his hands as he smiled at the guys at the table.

"Hey, Zack!" one of the boys greeted while smiling at his favourite bartender. "Yeah, I think we'll go for the regular tonight."

"Hungry?" Zack asked, hoping the boys would spend more. More money meant bigger tip.

The boys looked around at one another.

Zack waited hopefully before prompting them further. "Wings are good tonight. Kenny's in the kitchen which means no skimping on the sauce." he winked.

"Six wings, then. Hot and spicy." his regular smiled.

"Awesome. Be right back with your drinks." Zack said in his most friendly tone. He needed to keep up an animated disposition. It kept the mood light which meant more generous tips. "Kenny! Lets not keep these boys waiting, ya?" he shouted as he made his way to drop off the order to the kitchen. _Let the customer know you 'care'._ It's was Zack's motto and it earned him more tips and regular customers than any of his co-workers.

The night seemed to drag on and he felt himself losing energy fast. He had a few more hours to go and struggled to keep up his light-hearted and happy charade with his customers. As expected, the six college students left him a nice tip and the lone woman at the bar kept ordering drink after drink, trying harder to grab Zack's attention as the night went on. He played into it, though, flirting with her as it would probably mean a better tip when she left.

He hated it that money was the motivating cause of his actions, but he really needed it right now. No matter how exhausted he was, he milked his customers for as much as he could get, whether it be flirting, keeping boring conversations, or acting like he really gave a damn how crappy their day was. It was all dollar signs to him.

He was mopping up the counter when a customer at another table caught his attention. He dropped his cloth and made his way over to the table.

"How long have you been here?" he asked, taking a seat across from the blond.

Cloud looked up from his text and smiled at Zack. "A while. Was wondering how long it would take before you noticed me."

Zack smiled as his exhaustion melted from the sight of his boyfriend. "Sorry, I was busy with people."

"Don't be sorry. You're working hard. It's actually kinda sexy." Cloud smirked and closed his text. "She seems to like you." he nodded towards the woman at the bar.

Zack glanced over his shoulder at the woman he had been serving for hours now then looked back at Cloud. "She's lonely."

"As long as you flirt just for the money." Cloud winked, chuckling at Zack's surprised expression.

"Of course. Hey, I snagged a couple of extra shifts this week." Zack said, rubbing the back of his head. "And hopefully tomorrow I'll find something else to do."

Cloud nodded. "I hate seeing you burn yourself out."

"I'll be fine." Zack said, reaching over to take Cloud's hands in his own. "It's not forever; we'll be okay after you graduate."

"If I find a job." Cloud added.

"_When_ you find a job." Zack corrected. He scanned his customers and frowned. "Stay awhile, 'kay? It's nice when you're here with me."

"I'll be here." Cloud smiled adoringly, eyes softening.

Zack got up and tended to his customers whose drinks were getting low. The rest of the night went by smoothly. He looked over and smiled at the blond who was now absorbed in his textbook. Every so often they would look to one another at the same time and exchange a loving smile. It was so clear to Zack why he wore himself out; he would do anything for his boyfriend. He loved to be able to provide for him while he was in school and the prospect of the rest of their lives kept him going.

Cloud had a hard time concentrating on his textbook. The music was one distraction, but his guilt was the major one. Watching Zack moving non-stop to serve people made him feel guilty, like there was something he should be doing to help Zack. Zack had made it perfectly clear that he would not allow Cloud to drop out of school. He would do anything for Zack and sadly he began to fantasize about how much money they probably could bring in if Cloud had… done things for cash.

He shook his head at the idea. It disgusted him to think that he would ever do such things, but the extra cash would help Zack out tremendously. He shook his head again and delved into his studies. He _would_ do anything for Zack, but he doubted Zack would ever allow _that_.

It didn't matter anyways. Zack would find a new job soon enough and they would be back on track. 'Back on track' wasn't the most comfortable life style for them, but Cloud kept reminding himself that it was for a few more months.

Closing time came about and Cloud hung behind with the lingering customers so he could walk home with Zack. It was late, really late, and Cloud had a class the next morning. Really he had a class _this_ morning seeing how it was 2:00 a.m.. Cloud closed his textbook and rubbed his eyes from the exhaustion he felt. He knew it wasn't the best idea to stick around the bar all night, but Zack's smile kept him going. Every time Zack looked in his direction his face broke out in a smile. He seemed happy that the blond had stuck around.

Zack finished wiping down the bar and made his way over to Cloud's table. "You look tired." he said softly, stroking blond bangs back from big blue eyes. Something so beautiful should never be hidden.

"I'm all right." Cloud responded, tilting his head towards Zack's hand. "Are you done now?"

"Just waiting on the rest to finish up and pay their tabs." Zack answered, adoring eyes never leaving those of his boyfriend. "You should head home. You have a class in the morning, ya?"

Cloud shrugged and took Zack's hand in his own, holding it against his cheek. "Yeah. I want to stay here with you, though. I wouldn't get any sleep until you came home anyhow."

Zack's smile widened as his eyes softened. "Hopefully they'll hurry it up so we can get going."

Cloud nodded and closed his eyes. The warmth from Zack's hand felt good on his skin and his scent, although tinted by the smell of booze, relaxed him. He could fall asleep anywhere as long as Zack was by his side. He was gently pulled from his drowsy state when Zack moved his hand slightly.

"I need that back, babe." the ravenet said.

Cloud opened his eyes and let Zack's hand go as his boyfriend stood up from the table to meet the woman at the bar. She smiled at him as she pulled her wallet out from her purse.

"Is that your boyfriend?" she asked, smile widening as her eyes darted from Cloud back to Zack.

Zack grinned then smiled in Cloud's direction. "Yeah, he is."

Cloud gave a faint smile in return before closing his eyes and laying his head down on the table.

"He's cute." the woman said, eyes beaming at Zack.

"Very." Zack confirmed as he ran her credit card through the POS machine.

"Do you share?" the woman asked next, her eyes staying on Zack with a hint of a devious smile playing across them.

Zack looked up from the POS machine back to the woman. "No, I don't." he answered, feigning friendliness until she added the tip on the credit slip.

"Not even for top dollar?" she asked again, filling out the slip and signing it.

"Top dollar?" Zack asked, raising his eyebrows. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The woman passed the credit slip back to Zack and smiled. It took a lot of energy for Zack not to look down at the tip amount. "I mean, with a guy like that people would be willing to pay for his… company."

"Like a whore?" Zack scoffed and filed the credit slip before he accidently looked at the tip amount.

The woman laughed then looked back at the slumbering blond. "I'm thinking ten grand."

"Ten grand?" Zack almost shouted before he caught himself. "For one night?"

The woman looked back at Zack and grinned. "Providing he keeps proper company, that is."

"You'd pay ten grand to sleep with my boyfriend?" Zack laughed in disbelief. "Sure, sure."

"Tonight?" the woman asked. "I can get you the cash before we take off."

Zack's jaw almost hit the counter as he stared unbelievingly at this woman. "I think we're going to have to pass."

"Fifteen." the woman negotiated.

"Absolutely not." Zack retorted without missing a beat. "I'm sorry, but my boyfriend's… _affections_ are not for sale."

"Twenty." she cut in, eyes holding Zack's with intense determination.

"I think it's time for you to go home." Zack shook his head and collected the day's sales slips. "Would you like me to call you a cab?" he asked in a curt, yet polite manner. His head was still wheeling from the offer and he needed her to leave before to offer sounded too good to pass up. How do you put a price tag on your boyfriend?

The woman grinned then stepped away from the bar. "All right. You win." She started walking towards the door then looked back. "I could have made you a rich man." she added before leaving the bar.

Zack stared after her in disbelief before turning his gaze towards Cloud who was still half asleep on that table. He let out a heavy sigh then began closing the till. He counted his tips and smiled when he found he pulled in a great night. The last slip startled him the most.

"One thousand dollars?" he whispered to himself. He was used to receiving generous tips, he was good at what he did, but it took him a couple to attempts to convince himself that that was actually his tip amount from the woman at the bar.

He looked up at Cloud and smiled. He knew that this would ease the blond's mind until he was able to find another job. He was looking forward to seeing that smile spread across his lover's face, the thought in itself making himself smile wide.

He collected his things and walked over to Cloud, placing a hand gently on the blond's shoulder. "Hey, babe. You about ready to go?"

Cloud's bleary eyes scanned the bar as he stood up from the table. Zack shouldered Cloud's bag and wrapped an arm around him. "S'everyone gone?" the blond asked before yawning.

Zack smiled and tilted his head. "Everyone has left. Lets get you to bed."

Zack led Cloud out from the bar, locking the door behind him, and steered the sleepy blond home.

Once inside the small apartment Cloud looked as though he was ready to drop where he stood. Zack guided Cloud to the bedroom and laid him down on the sheets. Cloud looked like he was out of it before his head hit the pillow. Zack smiled down at his lover and took the blond's boots off before tossing them to the side. He lifted Cloud enough to cradle him in his arms and shuffled Cloud's shirt over his head before placing him back down against the pillows. Cloud murmured something unintelligible in his sleep, causing Zack to pause and look adoringly at the sleeping blond.

"You're too damn cute, Cloud. You have no idea what you do to me." he whispered as he brushed the blond bangs back from his face. "I love you more than anything else in this world."

Cloud mumbled something else Zack couldn't catch, causing the ravenet to chuckle lowly to himself.

Zack unbuckled Cloud's belt and shifted his pants down his lean form leaving the blond in his boxers. He made quick work of his own clothes before settling into bed beside Cloud. He set the alarm for Cloud's class and pulled the blankets up around their bodies.

Zack shifted so he was spooning Cloud and pulled the blond's frame tight against his own. He felt Cloud shift back against him and smiled again. His heart throbbed for this boy and although he would never admit it out loud, Cloud had him so tightly wrapped around his little finger.


	2. Chapter 2

Zack couldn't fall asleep right away that night. His mind was racing with thoughts of that night's events. He thought up the best way to use his tip money, paying a few overdue bills so they didn't lose heat or water then throwing the rest of it at the overdue rent that they owed. It would help, but only as a temporary crutch; he still needed to find another job before they actually did lose heat.

His mind went over places to look for work tomorrow. He mentally picked out an outfit then planned his day around where to apply for work. His thoughts then traveled to the woman at the bar. Was she really willing to pay twenty grand for one night with Cloud? Unconsciously his embrace tightened around the sleeping blond and he buried his nose in the soft spikes, taking in his scent. He could never… no, it was so not even an option.

His mind drifted to what they would actually do with the money. Life would be so much easier; bills could be paid – on time, for once; they wouldn't have to worry about rent until Cloud was securely in a new career; they wouldn't have to go a day without food; if they needed new clothes, they could just go out and buy them. Life would be better.

He mentally backhanded himself for allowing himself to think about those things. Of course he could never let that happen. He would do everything in his power to hold things together for seven more months, plus whatever Cloud needed to start his career. He frowned again. What if he couldn't find a job? What if no one was hiring? What would they do?

Zack shook his head and inhaled Cloud's scent again deciding to stop thinking about it and get some sleep. He couldn't look tired tomorrow or definitely no one would hire him.

-.-.-.-

Zack faintly remembered hearing the alarm go off the next morning and felt Cloud climb out of bed. The alarm stopped and he fell back asleep. Next he remembered Cloud sitting on the bed next to him, running a hand through his hair and kissing his forehead, trailing light kisses down to his neck.

"I set the alarm for ten for you." Cloud whispered against his neck before placing another gentle kiss against his skin.

Zack mumbled something even he didn't understand and reached out for his boyfriend.

Cloud chuckled softly and leaned down to hug the sleeping man. "I'll be back around four. I love you." He placed another kiss against Zack's temple and sat up.

Zack smiled, still half asleep and reached out for the blond again. Cloud took his hands in his own and placed kisses against his knuckles. "You have to let me go if I'm going to make it to class on time, love."

"Kiss…" Zack mumbled, still holding onto Cloud's hands.

Cloud chuckled again and leaned down. He placed a gentle kiss against Zack's lips which the ravenet didn't even respond to as he had already fallen asleep again. "My silly boy." Cloud whispered as he stood up, taking one last look at his sleeping lover with a smile before leaving the room.

The alarm went off again at ten, waking Zack with a start. He sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes. For a moment he panicked, thinking he was late for work once again before remembering that he had lost that job yesterday. He turned off the alarm and looked down at the bed where Cloud had slept with a frown. He hated waking up alone.

He swung his feet off the side of the bed and made his way to the shower. Afterwards he looked in the fridge for some sort of breakfast, pulling out cheese slices and grabbing the bread from the top of the fridge. He made a grilled cheese sandwich before heading back into the bedroom to dress.

Zack looked at himself in the mirror and straightened his clothes. He knew how to dress to impress, he was just hoping a job – any job, was available. He grabbed his keys and left the house.

-.-.-.-

Cloud somehow managed to make it through the day without falling asleep in any one of his classes; he struggled to pay attention in class so he could absorb as much as possible. It was critical that he did well in his classes so he could obtain a job easier when he graduated. He was a good student to begin with and he worked even harder to excel in every subject; it was the least he could do for Zack, after everything the ravenet was going through to keep a roof over his head and food in his stomach.

Pride swelled in his stomach at the thought of his boyfriend. He truly did appreciate Zack and everything he was doing for him so he could obtain an education and start their lives out right. Unfortunately, guilt also made its way into his feelings as Cloud couldn't help but feel bad that it was Zack, and Zack alone, who was working so damn hard for them. He wished there was something he could do to contribute, but Zack had made it perfectly clear on many occasions that all he wanted was for Cloud to stay in school. He wouldn't hear the blond out when he suggested he switch to part time school and pick up a part time job; he was focused on Cloud completing his degree as fast as possible.

Cloud frowned slightly as he approached their apartment and hoped that Zack was home with good news. He wasn't going to get his hopes up; with the way the economy was there weren't a lot of opportunities for jobs, but he silently prayed that Zack had found something. They were in a lot of trouble if he hadn't.

He unlocked their apartment door and walked through quietly, closing the door gently behind him. He looked around the living room to find it empty, but Zack's boots were by the front door. He kicked off his own boots and traveled to the bedroom; the light was off and the door was ajar.

He peeked through the opening to find Zack sprawled across the bed with his arm slung over his eyes.

"Hey." Cloud said quietly as not to startle the ravenet had he been sleeping.

Zack moved his arm from his face and smiled sadly at the blond, motioning him to come over with his other hand. "Hey yourself…" His smile faltered and his eyes remained hopeless.

Cloud made his way over to the bed and cuddled up against Zack's body. "How did it go today?" he asked, running a hand through silky raven hair, caressing Zack's cheek afterward.

"Fruitless…" Zack mumbled, closing his eyes to the touch he was receiving, letting out a sigh.

"We'll find something." Cloud said, trying to smile for his boyfriend's sake although he felt anything but happy.

Zack huffed and shook his head. "I've looked everywhere that doesn't require extensive travel, Cloud." He turned his head and looked into those big blue eyes. "No one's hiring."

Cloud frowned and laid his head down against Zack's shoulder. "Now what?"

Zack sighed again to alleviate the pain and shame building in his chest. "I'm not sure yet… but we have a little time to figure that out."

"A little time?" Cloud asked, raising his head to look down at the ravenet.

Zack nodded. "The woman at the bar last night gave a… generous tip." he started, looking up at Cloud. "It'll bring down our overdue bills slightly and buy us more time before we start to lose utilities."

Cloud raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips. "Generous tip?"

Zack nodded, his previous excitement from telling Cloud about the money he pulled in last night faded as their current situation was not a good one. "Yeah, she left one thousand dollars. Crazy, I know." he added seeing Cloud's eyes go wide.

"Why?" Cloud couldn't help but ask.

"She thought you were cute." Zack tried to offer up as an explanation. He wasn't sure how much about last night he was willing to tell.

Cloud furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and shook his head. "Wait, that doesn't make sense."

"I know. I was just as confused as you look right now." Zack responded. His eyes met Cloud's again. Who cares if he told Cloud the real reason? "She was willing to pay for your company. I think she was planting a seed in my head."

"Pay for my company?" Cloud snorted. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Sex, Cloud." Zack closed his eyes again and straightened his head on the pillow. "She was willing to pay to sleep with you."

Cloud thought this through for a moment and bit his lower lip. "How much?"

Zack's eyes flew open and focused on his boyfriend. "It doesn't matter!" he said a little louder than he had intended to.

"I know it doesn't matter!" Cloud almost laughed. "I was just curious."

Zack tried not to smile at Cloud's curiosity and shook his head. "Starting bid was ten grand."

Cloud laughed and shook his head. "Starting bid? Were you negotiating with her?"

"No!" Zack smacked Cloud's rear with his hand and rubbed it in an immediate apology. "She raised her bid as I continued to_ decline_."

Cloud chuckled and pursed his lips once more, this time in a more teasing manner than before. "How high did it get?"

"Twenty." Zack smirked, wrapping his arm around the blond and pulling him closer to his body.

"Twenty thousand dollars!" Cloud almost shouted in disbelief. "For one night?"

"It doesn't matter." Zack said again, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes with his unoccupied hand.

"I know…" Cloud said quietly, though his mind was still racing with what he had just learned. He was in complete disbelief that someone was willing to pay so much for… what? One night with him? He couldn't help but feel a little smug, but that feeling was quickly replaced with deep thought. Of course Zack would decline such an offer. Neither of them knew the woman and as tempting as twenty grand sounded, he could never bring himself to do it. "Wow…" was all the blond could manage.

Zack looked over at the blond and narrowed his eyes. He had an almost wicked grin playing on his lips as his eyes bore into the blond's. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked, voice bordering on playful anger and curiousity.

Cloud raised his eyebrows and shrugged to the best of his ability in his current position. "It means what it means… Just… wow…"

Zack propped himself on an elbow so he was looking down at the blond, a position that gave him the illusion of dominance over the situation. "No, no. Explain yourself, Spiky. I'm not letting that one go."

Cloud sighed and looked over to the wall away from Zack. "It meant that the money would have helped out a lot." he explained, choosing not to go on after a brief pause.

"You realize that you would have had to sleep with her, right?" Zack asked, placing two fingers on Cloud's jaw and pulling his face back so that he would have to look him in the eye. "That you would have had to…" his voice failed him as deep azure eyes penetrated his soul. He couldn't say anything.

"I'm aware what the deal would have been." Cloud said, a sly smile forming across his lips. "It doesn't matter anyhow." he added, seeing the storm raging in Zack's eyes.

Zack plopped back down on the mattress and stretched his arms over his head. "What's for dinner?" he asked, deciding to change the subject.

Cloud watched his boyfriend avoid eye contact and smiled gently. It didn't matter that they were struggling. It didn't matter that they actually didn't have too much to eat for dinner; it only mattered that they were together.

The next morning Cloud woke up before Zack and prepared for school. He set the alarm for Zack, kissed him goodbye, and then headed out for school.

Zack woke up and stretched. He marveled over how good he felt at the moment. The alarm hadn't gone off and he felt so completely rested. He smiled and turned his head over to the clock. It took a moment for him to realize that the clock wasn't displaying the time. His eyes examined the clock for a moment longer before he sat up in bed with a curse.

He looked around the room and shook his head. This couldn't be happening… He swung his legs over the side of the bed and made his way into the living room. He looked over at the stove which wasn't displaying the time, then walked over to the television set and attempted to turn it on. Nothing…

"Fuck!" he shouted to himself as he dashed towards to phone. He picked up the receiver to call the power company only to realize that the phone wasn't working either. "Fuck fuck!" he swore again, looking around the apartment helplessly as if the answer was hidden somewhere.

It took a moment for his brain to begin processing again before Zack walked back into the bedroom and pulled on some clothes. He reached into his pocket and found loose change, thanking whichever Summon was listening before leaving the apartment to find a pay phone.

Who knew that pay phones were so hard to find these days? It took Zack almost an hour of aimless roaming before he came across an old booth with a phone from the seventies housing inside. Everyone had cell phones these days, but Zack had to get rid of his when things began getting tight financially. He popped in some change and began dialing. He could have asked to use a phone in one of the local businesses, but he had too much pride to be discussing the state of his electricity account in front of strangers.

With that thought he shoved the door to the booth tighter with his boot as someone on the other end of the line picked up.

"Yes, hello." Zack began, already feeling a little ashamed for making this call. "My name is Zack Fair and I'm calling about my account."

"Okay, Mr. Fair." the woman said in a professionally polite voice. "How many I help you?"

"Umm…" Zack started, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand. "My power was cut this morning and I wanted to know how I could have is restored considering my current circumstances."

"One moment, Mr. Fair." the woman said, the sound of keystrokes could be hear over the line. "It appears that your account has been suspended until all owing amounts have been cleared." the woman's voice remaining friendly despite the situation.

"That's just it. I don't have that kind of cash right now, but I do have some." Zack tried to explain. "What's the minimum amount I can pay to have my power back?"

"The full amount, Mr. Fair." the woman answered, voice becoming more uncomfortable. "Your account has been in a state of overdue for some time now and we would like to see overdue balances cleared before we can reinstate your service."

"Is there nothing you can do?" Zack pleaded, knowing the answer even before he asked.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Fair, but the balance needs to be cleared before we can restore-"

"Thanks." Zack cut her off.

"Would you like to know your balance?" the woman asked in attempt to be at least somewhat helpful.

"No, thank you…" Zack answered before hanging up. He leaned back against the wall of the booth and ran a hand down his face. His limbs felt numb and a sense of shame filled his mind. _Now what?_ he asked himself, looking around with a frown.

He kicked open the door and stepped out of the booth. He wasn't sure what he could be doing right now; he was far to aggravated to go back home to silence and he had already looked for work in this district. He opted to wander aimlessly. He needed to sort out what he was going to tell Cloud when he got home.

By the time Zack had made it home he was exhausted by the stress and anxiety of the day. He popped back to a few places he had visited yesterday to speak with the managers, but all politely insisted that they didn't have a position for him. He wanted to scream, but knew that wasn't the best course of action.

It had been three thirty by the time he left the last business and thought that he should be home before Cloud. When he made it back into the apartment Cloud was sitting quietly on the couch, hands folded on his lap.

The blond looked up at Zack with sad eyes then looked back down at his hands.

"I thought I'd make it back before you got home." Zack said quietly, kicking off his boots and making his way beside the blond.

Cloud took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Now what?"

Zack leaned forward and rested his head in his palms. "I'm not sure yet. I spoke with the power company and they said the entire outstanding balance needs to be paid before they'll restore our power."

Cloud shook his head. "Is that doable?"

Zack shook his head and closed his eyes. "Not without neglecting rent and food, no."

Cloud sighed and looked over to the ravenet. "What do we do now?" he asked again, at a loss for anything better to say.

"I don't know anymore, Cloud." Zack responded shortly, throwing himself back into the couch and covering his eyes with his arm. He couldn't bear looking at his boyfriend right now. He felt like a complete failure and that he let Cloud down. He couldn't even keep them afloat until Cloud graduated. Some provider he was…

It hurt Cloud to no end to see Zack this way. His normally happy-go-lucky boyfriend with the charming smile was falling apart right in front of him. What's worse, there was nothing that he could do for him. It was going to be more difficult to exist without power, no matter how much longer it was until Cloud graduated. "We can get by." Cloud offered meekly. He wasn't sure about his words but needed to offer something up for Zack to grasp at.

"Oh yeah?" Zack asked, removing his arm from his face. "We'll get by without power? You're into cold showers and cold food. No phone, no heat, no… nothing!" Zack snapped, looking at Cloud with eyes full of hurt and anger.

Cloud knew the anger wasn't directed at him. Zack was feeling ashamed and needed an outlet somewhere. Cloud tried not to take Zack's words to heart but it didn't stop it from stinging.

"We at least have a roof over our heads." Cloud said back, voice remaining calm and gentle.

Zack snorted and shook his head. "You're right. We have a roof." He waived his hand around gesturing at nothing in particular. "Which is also overdue with respect to payments. Cloud, we have nothing."

"We-" Cloud began before getting cut off by the ravenet again.

"We. Have. Nothing." Zack repeated. "How long are we going to live here before they kick us out?"

"As long as they let us." Cloud retorted, a hint of agitation apparent in his voice. "Without power we can focus on paying down what we owe on rent. They won't kick us out."

"Whatever…" the ravenet replied. Cloud could tell by the tone of his voice that he had officially shut down. There was no reasoning with him once he got like this.

"Zack…" Cloud started before he was cut off by a long, drawn out sigh from the other male. "Just listen, then…" the blond snapped, feeling more than overwhelmed at the moment. "We'll get by. We have a roof over our heads and a warm bed to sleep in."

Zack scoffed and shook his head, rubbing his eyes with his hands. "Until the temperature drops, that is…"

"Then we'll make our own heat." Cloud answered in attempts to lighten the mood. He could have sworn that he would at least have gotten a smirk from his last comment, but the ravenet seemed more irritated than anything.

"Do you think this is some kind of joke?" Zack finally asked after a brief pause. "I… ugh…" Zack began rubbing at his eyes again. "This is serious. We have no money and now we have no power."

"You're missing the point." Cloud started before getting interrupted again.

"No, Cloud. I think you're missing the point." Zack stared straight into Cloud's eyes, raising his voice. "I failed! I couldn't even hold it together for seven more fucking months. I-"

"You didn't fucking fail us!" Cloud shouted. "We'll be okay; it's just electricity! We can find a way around things!"

Zack glared at Cloud before shaking his head and pulling himself up onto his feet. The blond watched Zack storm out of the living room into the bedroom and slam the door behind him.

Cloud let out a sigh which came out more like a sob. He and Zack had never really shouted at one another before and he wasn't prepared for the pain he felt cascading through his chest. He let out another sob before his eyes watered up. There was no holding back; he couldn't stop the tears from falling from his eyes and he mopped them up with the back of his hand as quickly as he could.

The fact that Zack actually believed that this all was his fault hurt Cloud the most. He could never convey to Zack that he wasn't disappointed in him for what he was not able to accomplish for them. He was only human and he was burning himself out so that Cloud could obtain the education he required to start the career of his choice. That fact alone made Cloud appreciate the ravenet more than he could ever put into words and maybe that's why he could never tell him the whole of what he felt.

Cloud's sobs slowly faded as his mind scrambled for an answer. An answer for what, he wasn't sure, but he knew that something needed to change. Zack was on a downward spiral of indignity and self-blame that he wouldn't even listen to his own boyfriend. The thought caused a stabbing pain to shoot through Cloud's chest and he knew that it was going to be him who would have to do something to make the ravenet realize that all was not lost. Not yet, anyhow.

The blond's thoughts were interrupted about an hour later when he heard Zack open the bedroom door and float towards the front door. His eyes were rimmed with red from obvious tears and he held a defeated expression that told Cloud that he was still not open for conversation.

Blue eyes followed the ravenet as he pulled on his boots and grabbed his keys before leaving the apartment without a word. As the door clicked shut Cloud's heart began aching worse than it ever had before. His eyes filled with renewed tears as his body let out a few more sobs. He knew Zack was only leaving for his shift at the bar but the fact that he had left without saying a word to him broke his heart. He had never left without saying at least a goodbye before. Cloud couldn't hold it back anymore; he let himself go and cried well into the night.

It wasn't until close to midnight, or so he thought, that a groggy Cloud started by the sound of someone knocking at the door. Cloud lifted himself with much effort from the couch and stumbled towards the door, checking the peek-hole before opening it up to the familiar man on the other side.

"Sorry if I woke you." the man said in a hushed voice. Cloud recognized him as a cook from the bar Zack worked at. There was no way he didn't notice Cloud's tear-streaked face and the blond was grateful that he didn't ask him about his condition.

Immediately Cloud's brain caught up to the situation and his eyes flew wide open. "Where's Zack? What's wrong?" he blurted, not bothering to keep his voice down.

"Zack's all right." the man, Dave, said, lifting his hands up in front of him in a calming gesture. "He just got into a fight with some guys at the bar who were picking on some girl."

"Where is he? Is he all right?" Cloud's mind raced through the possibilities of what could have happened, each image getting worse than the previous one.

"He's fine, Cloud. Just got a little banged up." Dave answered. "He's at the hospital now getting looked at. I think he may have a broken leg and a few bumps and bruises, but he's fine."

"Oh Gods…" Cloud's heart thudded against his chest at the news. He should have been relieved that the injuries were minor compared to what they could have been, but knowing that Zack was hurt still made Cloud panic.

Dave took a small step towards Cloud and nodded his head. "Get your boots on; I'll take you to him."

Cloud looked up into Dave's eyes and nodded, fighting back yet more tears threatening to spill from his eyes. "Thank you." he mumbled as he pulled on his boots and checked his pockets for his keys. As soon as the door was locked behind him, Dave led Cloud to his car.

"It was a really brave thing he did." Dave said after a moment of silent driving. "He got involved when he thought that the girl was in trouble."

Cloud didn't remove his stare from the passenger side window. He took a deep breath and bit his lower lip. "Sounds like something he'd do…" Cloud offered up as a response. He really didn't want to talk much right now but he figured he owed Dave a response since he volunteered to bring him to Zack.

Dave noted Cloud's detached tone and drove the rest of the way in silence. Once at the hospital he handed Cloud a piece of paper with his number scribbled across it and told him to give him a call when they needed a ride back home. Cloud thanked him and hurried into the building.

It didn't take long to find Zack's room after asking one of the triage nurses. Once outside the door, Cloud took a deep breath and slowly made his way in. Zack was lying motionless on the bed, staring out of the window. He didn't seem to notice Cloud's entrance. Cloud frowned at the sight of Zack; his leg was in a cast and evidence of cuts and bruises were one his face and arms. His shirt and boxers covered the rest of his body.

Cloud came closer to Zack's bed and looked down at his boyfriend. Zack seemed to have just noticed his presence as he turned his head and looked up at Cloud's worried expression before diverting his eyes down to his hands.

"Are you okay?" Cloud almost whispered, not sure what else to say.

Zack sighed and licked his lips. "I'll be fine…"

Cloud took a seat on Zack's bed and took the ravenet's hand in his own. "Does it hurt?" he asked, nodding at Zack's cast.

"Yeah…" Zack admitted, keeping his hand loose in Cloud's. "I'm sorry." he said after a brief pause.

"For what?" Cloud asked, furrowing his brow with a frown and squeezing Zack's hand lightly.

"I really fucked up…" Zack said as he shook his head. "I shouldn't have taken my frustration out on you." he explained, voice lowering.

Cloud smiled gently and laid down next to Zack, careful not the move the bed too much. "I forgive you, silly." Cloud said in a light tone. "I shouldn't have yelled at you, either. I'm sorry."

Zack shook his head and looked back out the window. "I shouldn't have put myself in this situation. I should have called the cops for her instead of getting involved. I just needed to burn off some of this frustration; I didn't realize the guys had friends at other tables…"

"From what I hear, you helped her out of a bad situation." Cloud said, squeezing Zack's hand again in hopes for some sort of response. "That makes you a hero."

Zack shook his head and looked down at his hand in Cloud's. "A hero without a job, Cloud. I can't go back to work for at least three weeks or until this cast comes off."

Cloud's heart stopped in his throat. He was hoping he didn't hear that last part right, but his brain knew what Zack had just said. He felt the colour drain from his face and his eyes glazed over. "T-three weeks?" he managed to get out with much effort.

Zack looked back out of the window and sighed softly. "Still forgive me?" the ravenet asked sounding so defeated as though he had just given up on life.

"Always." Cloud was grateful that he found his voice in time to offer an immediate response, but his mind was still racing over what this all meant for them. "We'll just have to… we'll… we can…" Cloud tried several times to say something remotely positive but each time he stopped knowing that his words were just that: words. He gave up with a sigh. "At least we have each other." he said, knowing that even that wasn't going to be enough.

Much to Cloud's surprise, Zack squeezed his hand and nodded. "That's _all_ we have - each other."

Cloud hated himself for the next thought that popped into his head and hated himself even more for bringing it up. "We have other options…"

Zack shook his head. "Both credit cards are maxed, no one is going to give us a loan with our credit, and we've already tapped out the rest of your student loan."

"We have other options…" Cloud repeated, not able to bring himself to continue on with an explanation without prompting.

Zack looked up at Cloud with a confused look. "What other options do we have? You need your degree before anyone will hire you and no one is hiring for shift work these days."

"We may not like it at all, but there's other ways to make money, Zack, as we've just discovered…"

"Cloud!" Zack hissed, pulling his hand out of the blond's with a glare. "Be serious…"

"I am serious." Cloud shot back, a little hurt that Zack pulled away from him but more concerned about the course of their current discussion. "Tell me what else we can do for the next seven months and I'll do it, but if there's no other option… we're not going to starve on the streets."

"We'll think of something…" Zack said. Cloud could have laughed at this as that was _his_ typical response, not Zack's. Zack seemed dead serious though. "Just give me tonight to think it through and tomorrow-"

"We'll what, Zack? Find another job? You can't walk. Drop out of school? You won't let me. What _will_ we do tomorrow?" Cloud said a little more harshly than he intended to. He winced at the sight of Zack's eyes closing in frustration but decided that it was time he started helping with some of the decisions in this relationship. "We've exhausted our options, Zack. We need to find money and we need it soon. With you out of a job for the next three weeks… we're going to be kicked out of the apartment. We're not going to have food."

"What are you telling me, Cloud?" Zack's eyes snapped open with a look of agony. "Do you _want_ to fuck some stranger for money?"

Cloud sat up in the bed again and looked down in surprised anger. "Begging your pardon, Mr. Hero, but we need an answer and we need one now. We're about to become starving and homeless and unless you have another idea somewhere tucked in that head of yours…" he added a flick to Zack's temple for emphasis, not caring that Zack hissed in pain. It's not like he meant to hit that particular cut. "then I think we're out of alternative options here."

"I can't believe we're having this conversation…" Zack said lowly, dropping his hands to his lap.

"Listen, it's not like I want this…" Cloud said, voice a little more gentle than before. "I just don't see what else we can do."

"Just let me think tonight, okay?" Zack asked, resting his head back against the pillow and closed his eyes.

-o-o-o-

A/N: In response to a couple of reviews, I wanted to make mention that I'm from Canada. We don't pay for hospital visits here and I thought I'd pass on that luxury to Zack and Cloud. Sorry for the confusion.


	3. Chapter 3

Cloud was silent and watched his boyfriend settle in the hospital bed. When the doctor came to check on him he said that he had a minor concussion but he could go home that night providing Cloud promised to wake him up every hour and make sure he was coherent. Cloud, obviously, agreed and they got Zack signed out.

"Mr. Fair, remember what I told you." the doctor added handing Zack a set of crutches. "Stay off of that leg as much as humanly possibly for the next three weeks then come back to see me."

Zack nodded, which was returned by the doctor with a quick good night as he turned and left.

Cloud tried to help Zack to a waiting room chair but Zack insisted that he was fine. He sat down and rested the crutches against the chair next to him. Cloud made a quick call using the phone at the triage station then took the other seat next to Zack.

"Dave said he would take us home tonight." Cloud explained when Zack silently asked who he had just called.

There was a long, awkward pause as both boys sorted tonight's events through in their minds. There was so much each wanted to say to the other, but the words wouldn't form properly in their heads.

The drive home was almost just as silent, Dave asking Zack a few questions before falling silent himself. Once they reached their apartment they left with a few quick goodbyes before Dave drove off. Zack refused any help Cloud offered him and collapsed into bed as soon as he managed to kick his boot off.

Cloud stood by the bed watching Zack get comfortable. He unconsciously rubbed his hands against the sides of his pants, contemplating how he was going to manage waking Zack up every hour without an alarm clock. Zack seemed to have fallen asleep immediately without another word to Cloud; the blond figured it was going to be a long night for him.

He grabbed a textbook and a glass of water before settling at his desk and tried to lose himself in learning. He might as well do something productive. He didn't have the time, but he figured that it took him about an hour to learn twenty five pages of this text, so after reading that he would gently wake Zack up and ask him a random question. Once Zack answered the question, normally with a deep sigh, he would let his boyfriend fall back asleep.

Cloud found himself staring that the pages blankly when the sun began to shine through the window. He wanted nothing more than to fall asleep but he wanted to make sure Zack was up for the day before he would allow it. He was more than a little grateful when the ravenet began stirring in the bed, violet eyes shining through his lashes as they turned to look at Cloud. Cloud met Zack's eyes and offered a sad smile.

Zack sat up in bed with a yawn and stretch before propping himself on his hands. "Did you stay up all night?" he asked, disbelief clouding over his grogginess.

"Had to…" Cloud said, voice bordering on whisper. He didn't have a whole lot of energy left. "Promised the doctor… would wake you every hour. Hard to do… without alarm clock…"

Zack's eyes saddened as he tried to push himself off the bed, hissing in pain when he twisted his leg the wrong way. "Come here, baby. I'm awake now. Take the day off classes, okay?"

Cloud nodded, not able to reason out to himself why he should be going to classes. He just wanted to sleep after the emotionally exhausting day followed by the sleepless night. The blond lifted himself out of his chair with great effort and shuffled over to the bed. He flung himself half-heartedly down against the mattress and could barely register Zack once his head hit the pillow.

He heard Zack chuckle lightly and felt his body being moved. Zack shifted Cloud's body to lie properly in bed and pulled the covers up around them both. He wasn't sure if it was just a dream, but he felt Zack kiss his temple several times before burying his nose in the blond spikes. The last thing he registered before falling into the darkness was Zack saying that he loved him more than everything else in this world combined. It made him sleep easier.

Cloud woke up alone in bed. The sun was still shining through the window and he was grateful that he didn't sleep the entire day away. He stretched in bed before swinging his legs over the edge. He then pulled himself up and made his way to the living area. Zack was stretched out across the couch, head propped up on one palm, staring at nothing in particular. When he noticed Cloud's entrance he shifted and beckoned him over.

Cloud made his way over to the bored-looking ravenet and was immediately pulled down to sit between his spread legs. He leaned back and snuggled closer against his boyfriend's chest and smiled when strong arms wrapped around him possessively and pulled him closer still.

"How are you feeling?" Zack asked, kissing the side of Cloud's face.

"I'm fine, but how are you feeling?" the blond retorted, leaning into the affections.

"I'll survive, I'm sure." Zack answered, tightening his arms around Cloud again. "It meant a lot to me - what you did for me last night."

"What did I do?" Cloud asked, craning his neck so he could look into Zack's eyes.

"Staying up to make sure I was all right." Zack answered, rubbing his nose against Cloud's with a smile. "It must have been hard. You looked so dead this morning, and I wanted you to know that I really appreciate you."

Cloud gave a half grin and leaned closer to place a quick kiss against Zack's lips. "I did it for me as much as I did it for you, but you're welcome." The blond laid his head against Zack's shoulder and closed his eyes. "And now for the difficult part…"

Zack sighed deeply and rested his head against Cloud's. "Yeah, I've been thinking about that all day."

"And?" Cloud prompted, hoping that Zack would take the reigns on this conversation. It was hard for him to even think about.

"And…" Zack started. "I just… don't know."

Cloud took a deep breath before turning his body so his chest was resting against Zack's body. He snuggled against Zack's collar bone and ran an idle hand through Zack's hair. "Me neither…" he whispered. "It's just the only thing I can come up with now…"

"I know." Zack answered, eyes fluttering at the calming feeling from Cloud's hand in his hair. "We have to think this through thoroughly, though."

Cloud's hand stilled and he lifted his head up to search Zack's face. "What do you mean?"

"Repercussions." Zack answered. It seemed as though he wanted to say more but couldn't bring himself to do so.

"It wouldn't mean anything to me." Cloud said after a moment of silence. "Like how you flirt with people for tips, this would just be about money for me."

Zack shook his head. "This is a little different, Cloud."

"How?" Cloud challenged him. He knew if Zack was going to agree to this, he would have to have Zack see it as the only option without these so-called repercussions. The thought of actually sleeping with someone for money made him incredibly uncomfortable, but worth it considering that they were about to have absolutely no income from the next little while.

"Because I've never slept with any of my customers; that's how." Zack said a little more harshly than he wanted to.

"We've always had an income before, too." Cloud shot back, matching Zack's tone.

"Flirting with someone and fucking them are two different things, Cloud." Zack said, easing his voice in hopes of preventing another fight.

"With the same result: money." Cloud cleverly added, narrowing his eyes.

Zack ran a hand down his face and shook his head. "I don't know… What if something goes wrong?"

"Like what?" Cloud asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"What if it gets too rough?" Zack asked, eyes saddening as they met blue.

"That's why we have to choose someone who has something to lose." Cloud answered back. He was surprised that he seemed to have that answer ready and waiting. He hadn't thought about this all that much.

Zack narrowed his eyes. "What?"

"If things go south I'll have the option of exposing what happened." Cloud explained, again surprising himself. "If someone has something to lose they tend to stick with the arrangement better."

"Do we know anyone with money who's lonely?" Zack asked. Immediately he began regretting asking the question. Was he really on board with sharing his boyfriend with someone? The thought was enough to turn his stomach, but upon thinking of other alternatives when Cloud was sleeping, he came up with nothing. It still concerned him that they were having this conversation.

"I do… sort of…" Cloud answered, voice going low.

"Who?"

"One of my professors." Cloud answered, looking up at Zack. "He's made it clear that he's attracted to me by the way he talks to me and I think that he's… lonely."

"Who?" Zack asked again.

"Professor Sephiroth." Cloud said, almost cringing at the name. The guy was all right but thinking about sleeping with a teacher… Cloud couldn't help his reaction.

Zack seemed to search his mind for tidbits of information he had regarding that name. Nothing came up. "Is he into… this… stuff?"

"I can find out." Cloud said with little confidence. "I'll talk to him about why I wasn't in class today and hint that I need money. We'll see where it goes."

"Cloud… are we… serious about this?" Zack asked, wanting to pull Cloud closer but unable to make himself do it.

Cloud looked into Zack's eyes. "Only if you are. I see no other answer."

Zack sighed deeply and still couldn't bring himself to hold Cloud. "All right… rules, then…"

Cloud nodded. He felt dirty. He felt like he didn't even know himself anymore. He tried to wash that all away and focused on what Zack was saying.

Zack looked at Cloud with sad eyes. "Rule one: I'm in charge of all negotiations." he stated as though he were lending a pen, not his boyfriend. "You bait him and I'll talk to him."

Cloud nodded. For that part he was relieved. He didn't want to put a price on himself or figure out the details. He didn't want Zack doing any of those things either, but was thankful at least Zack wouldn't let it happen if he wasn't satisfied with their compensation.

"Rule two:" Zack continued. "You are not to, under any circumstances, kiss him." Zack's eyes saddened further.

Cloud's eyes followed suit and he nodded. "Of course not."

"Last rule, if we are actually going through with this…" Zack continued. "He can't..." he paused then sighed. "When it does happen, like… it… at the end… he can't be in you for that."

Cloud's eyes softened as the weight of the discussion finally began settling in. "Okay." he murmured. He felt numb all of a sudden. Breathing seemed to take more effort and he felt like he weighed a thousand pounds. He tried to shake this off when he noticed Zack watching him intently. "Yeah, those are good rules."

Zack shook his head. "When?"

Cloud bit his lower lip. "I'll talk to him tomorrow morning about my absence. I'll see where that goes…"

Zack rubbed his eyes before closing them and leaned back against the couch. He was hungry but didn't want to eat too much before they knew when they'd be able to buy groceries next. He felt Cloud cuddle up against him and took an easy breath as he wrapped his arms around the blond.

Cloud was just relieved that Zack still was able to hold him close. 

Cloud woke up before Zack the next morning. He felt almost nauseous as he climbed out of bed for a cold shower. During his shower he rehearsed in his head how he would approach his task today and shook his head as nothing sounded right. By the end of his shower he decided it would be best to just wing it; it would seem more natural that way. _Natural…_ he scoffed at the word as he began dressing. He made his way back into the bedroom to find Zack awake, staring at the ceiling. He sat at the edge of the bed beside bed, offering a quick 'good morning'.

Zack turned his head and looked at the blond in silence. It was obvious that he wasn't feeling too good about what was going to happen that day. Cloud offered a reassuring grin and got up to make his way to the desk. He pulled out a Sharpie marker from the drawer and climbed back in the bed. He watched Zack's eyes shift from sad to confused as he gently guided Zack's injured leg up onto his lap and pulled the cap off the marker. "Sleep okay?" the blond asked poising the marker over Zack's cast.

Zack's stoic expression changed into a soft smile as he nodded.

Cloud smiled back as he began to write on Zack's cast. "Good. Me too." he said.

Zack watched Cloud doodle on his cast before sitting up to get a better look. His heart throbbed for his boyfriend.

'_Cloud loves his Zack'_

'_Zack + Cloud = true love'_

'_ZxC4EVR'_

Cloud continued to doodle little love notes along with hearts and stars in the black ink. Cloud would look up every once and again and meet Zack's adoring eyes. "No matter what happens, Zack, all this still remains true." he said gesturing at his creations. "I need to hear you say that you know this and feel the same."

Zack smiled and leaned forward capturing the blond's lips with his own. Cloud dropped the marker, not caring where it landed, and cupped Zack's face with his hands. The kiss deepened as Cloud climbed his way up Zack's body and straddled his hips, hands not leaving his face. Zack wrapped his arms around the small frame and pulled him closer until their bodies were flush against one another.

Cloud slipped his tongue past Zack's lips and a slackened the kiss. He tried to pour as much love and emotion in the kiss as he could manage and felt like Zack understood. Zack moaned from the back of his throat before pulling back for air. "I'm going to worry about you all day."

Cloud's smile faltered a bit at the reminder of what he was going to try and accomplish that day. He forced himself to recover his smile. "I'll be okay. I'm more worried about you."

Zack shrugged. "Why?"

"Boredom." Cloud answered, running his fingers through Zack's hair. "You'll go crazy."

"I'm going to go crazy with worry." Zack leaned into Cloud's caresses with a soft smile. "You have to tell me what happened as soon as you're finished with your… meeting."

Cloud nodded and placed another kiss on Zack's lips. "I will."

Cloud had to focus on his breathing as he made his way to his morning class. He has no idea what time it was and he figured early would be better than late. There were only a couple of students in the classroom when he arrived so he figured he came at an appropriate time.

Waiting for the professor to make it to class seemed like it took hours although it probably was only minutes. Cloud couldn't help but hold his breath when Sephiroth entered the room and focused on looking as normal as possible as he stood up from his desk and wandered over to the teachers' desk.

"Good morning, sir." Cloud said in a low voice.

Sephiroth looked up at Cloud with a small smile before he continued rooting through his paperwork. "Good morning, Cloud. Nice to see you made it to class this morning."

Cloud rubbed the back of his neck and looked to the ground. "That's sort of what I wanted to talk to you about, actually." He took a deep, steadying breath before continuing. "I was hoping to maybe talk to you after class in your office?"

Sephiroth looked up at the blond again and tilted his head. "It's all right; I know you're perfectly capable of catching up."

It was public knowledge that Sephiroth was into guys and not something Sephiroth really cared to keep secret. Cloud knew he was going to have to do something to catch the professor's eye and hope that the professor would catch onto what was going on.

"Umm… thanks, but there was something else I needed to talk to you about and I was hoping that… we could _do it…_ in private." Cloud said as he looked into Sephiroth's eyes. The comment was innocent enough but the innuendo followed by the blush Cloud felt heating up his cheeks suggested otherwise.

Sephiroth seemed momentarily stunned before he snapped back to the present. "Sure. My office hours are from one to three-thirty."

"Uninterrupted." Cloud stated, feeling his blush grow hotter. He couldn't hold Sephiroth's eyes any longer as he dropped his eyes to the ground. "It's a personal matter."

Even though his eyes were downcast the blond didn't miss the momentary confusion that flickered across Sephiroth's eyes before he nodded. "Okay, meet me after class then. I'll have a half an hour before my next lecture."

Cloud looked back up at Sephiroth and gave a sweet smile. "Thanks Seph," he said softly as he bit his lower lip.

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at the nickname as Cloud glided slowly away.

During the lecture Cloud would catch Sephiroth sneaking him a glance every once and awhile which he returned with a smile. He was hoping his smiles were coming out bashful rather than nervous, but he had no way of telling. As time does when you're dreading something, class flew by before Cloud even realized it. The professor closed up the lecture and began gathering his things.

Cloud packed his own bag only then noticing how shaky he was. He tried to stop his hands from trembling but knew that he probably wouldn't be able to until after he left Sephiroth's office.

As the class emptied Sephiroth looked up at Cloud with an unreadable expression and waited by his desk. Cloud slung his bag over his shoulder and made his way to Sephiroth.

"This way," was all Sephiroth said as he turned to make his leave to his office. Cloud followed him silently, running through in his head how he was going to start this conversation.

Once inside Sephiroth's office, the professor closed the door behind the blond and made his way to his chair, gesturing to Cloud to take the seat on the other side. "What did you need to speak to me about?" he asked in a professional manner.

Cloud sat at the edge of his seat and tried to make it less obvious that he was hyperventilating. "Umm… it's sort of… like, I may be having trouble coming to class on time from now on."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow and rested his chin on his palm. "Why is that?"

Cloud sighed deeply; he needed to start hinting or this attempt was going to be a failure. He cracked his knuckles and leaned back into the chair, spreading his legs comfortably and resting his head against the back of the chair. "I'm broke." he started before chuckling. "No, that's an understatement. I'm drowning in debt and can't really afford to live like this until graduation."

"We have student support services in place for-"

"No," Cloud shook his head. "My student loan is already tapped out because of bills and just recently I have no power. They cut my electricity; hence the late for classes bit." Cloud was shocked that his voice was sounding somewhat easy. "I'm desperate; I suppose my point is, and was wondering whether you knew of a solution. I'm willing to do pretty much anything."

"A solution?" Sephiroth asked, watching the boy tug on the hem of his shirt.

Cloud noticed Sephiroth watching him and tugged on his shirt a little more, effectively pulling it up a little exposing a sliver of his flat stomach. "Yeah; no one's hiring and my credit is absolutely terrible at the moment. I just need a little extra cash to get me through for the next seven months and was wondering if you knew… anyone who needs a man-slave."

Sephiroth sat back in his chair, a little taken aback by Cloud's choice of words. "Man-slave?"

"I think I'm talented. I think I could be of service to anyone who needed work done, or company."

Cloud didn't not notice Sephiroth stunned look. He took this opportunity to tug on his shirt and 'unknowingly' raise it up a little further. Sephiroth exhaled heavily while shifting uncomfortably in his chair. "Why are you not talking to a guidance counselor about this?"

"Because I want your help." Cloud said, looking straight up into Sephiroth's eyes, keeping a cool expression on his face. "And because I don't trust guidance counselors."

Sephiroth remained quiet for a few moments before running his hand down his face. "How can I help you?"

Cloud dropped the hem of his shirt and gave a small shrug. "This for that. Really, the decision is up to you. I'm just a desperate student in need of financial assistance. What can I do for you, if you were willing to help?"

"This is so against policy." Sephiroth mumbled. "I don't know where you're going with this."

Cloud gave a half smirk that Zack had previously told him was sexy and narrowed his eyes. He quickly licked his lips before standing up from the chair. "Just let me know if there's anything, okay?" He turned around and bent over to grab his bag. He hesitated for a brief second before standing up and slinging his bag over his shoulder. He looked back at the professor with an easy smile before heading towards the door.

"Wait," Sephiroth commanded. Cloud turned around and tilted his head. The professor took a short breath before continuing. "What kind of services are you offering?"

_Lonely indeed…_ Cloud thought to himself. "What kind of services are you in _need_ of?"

"Cloud, lets stop beating around the bush, okay?" Sephiroth said as he shook his head. "I know people know about me. I just didn't think you were the same."

"You didn't think I was gay?" Cloud smiled and shuffled his weight more comfortably. "I am. I'm living with my boyfriend and we're both sort of in a financial bind." he explained, watching for a reaction that never happened. "We talked about it and we both agreed that certain… _things_… are not off limits to get us through this rough patch."

Cloud watched Sephiroth's expression switch from confused to thoughtfulness as he listened to the explanation. "Back to the 'not beating around the bush' thing, you're suggesting money for sex." He more or less stated it rather than asked.

Cloud felt his chest tighten when it was put that way but remained composed. He thought a moment for a clever answer but came up with nothing. "Yes."

"With me." Sephiroth's question, again, sounded like a statement.

Cloud's chest tightened further and he had to fight a little harder to remain calm. "I was simply asking whether you knew anyone who would be willing to help." He inwardly cringed; he felt like he was losing composure fast.

"How much are we talking here?" Sephiroth asked, leaning forward.

"Are you interested?" Cloud blurted out without thinking. _That was a lot easier than I though…_

"In you, yes." Sephiroth answered. "How much will you be requiring?"

Cloud bit his lower lip and met Sephiroth's now somewhat heated gaze. He could tell the professor was thinking about what he wanted to do to him at that moment. "Those are the negotiations you would take up with my boyfriend." he answered coolly.

"When?" the professor asked a little too eagerly.

"Tonight." Cloud said with a grin. He walked over to Sephiroth's desk and grabbed a pen. He jotted down his address and shoved the piece of paper to the professor before straightening up again. "Around eight. My boyfriend's name is Zack."

"Will you be there?" the professor asked, eyes freely roaming Cloud's form.

Cloud fought not to shy away from the scrutiny. "Yeah, I will." he answered with his half smirk. "See you tonight?"

Sephiroth tucked Cloud's address away in his wallet and nodded. "Are you sure about this?" he asked with a hint of concern in his voice.

Cloud bit his lower lip and nodded slowly. "Like I said, professor. We're desperate. We need to do something drastic. At least it'd be with someone like you rather than some Joe off the street."

"I'll see you at eight, then." Sephiroth said, voice lowering slightly.

Cloud smiled and left the office.

Cloud couldn't believe what he had just accomplished. It took all of his strength not to run home as he reviewed the conversation in his head. He knew Sephiroth was gay and suspected the professor had an eye for him, but somehow he thought it would take so much more coaxing to gather a response. He smiled widely; he wasn't sure if it was from happiness or nervousness. His stomach twisted as he opened his apartment door.

Zack was on the couch, half dosing, and bolted upright as the blond clicked the door shut. "What happened?" he almost shouted.

Cloud grinned nervously and kicked off his boots. "He'll be over at eight to negotiate."

Zack turned to the clock on the stove by reflex and narrowed his eyes as he remembered that they didn't have the proper time. "What time is it now?"

"It was after eleven when I left class. Probably close to noon?" Cloud answered, eyes not straying from the ravenet. "What now?"

"You said he was coming over to negotiate?" Zack asked, grabbing the blond by the arm and pulling him closer. Anxiety was the dominating emotion at the moment.

"Yeah, I thought it would be better if you were in charge of the money issue." Cloud answered, taking a seat next to Zack. "How do you put a price on yourself?"

"How do you put a price on your boyfriend?" Zack asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

Cloud smiled softly and sighed. "Lets not think of it that way, 'kay? It was so much easier to think and talk about when I was viewing this as a business transaction."

Zack bit his lower lip and huffed. "How high do you think he's willing to go?"

Cloud thought about it for a moment then shrugged. "He's lonely; probably hasn't gotten any in a while. He has money as he lives a modest life on a professors' salary. He seemed delighted to find out I was gay and I know he finds me attractive. He knows we're having financial troubles so he's probably aware that this needs to be worth our while…"

"Maybe I'll make him start out…" Zack suggested, eyes focused on the floor in thought. He lifted his gaze and met baby blue eyes. "Are you sure about this?"

"I am. It's going to mean nothing to me as long as you're okay with this." Cloud answered, determination overriding his previous nervousness.

Zack nodded. "I'm not crazy about the idea, but we can't starve either. This seems too easy."

Cloud huffed and smiled again. "That's because it is easy, Zack. As long as we don't let the sex thing come between us… people make a living this way, you know."

"Not my boyfriend." Zack retorted easily. "Until now, apparently."

"It's just a one-time thing, ya?" Cloud reassured.

"I would hope so…" Zack said, pulling the blond onto his lap. "I feel terrible about this."

"It's not your fault, Zack." Cloud said gently, nuzzling up against the ravenet's neck. "You've been an amazing provider. I'm so happy with you and this whole thing was just bad luck. We'll be okay."

Zack cuddled closer to the blond and frowned again when he looked up at the useless clock. "Waiting is going to be the hardest part - especially when we don't have the correct time."

The boys filled the rest of the day with idle conversations and planning for the future. There wasn't a lot to do with no money, no electricity, and an injured Zack, but they managed to pass the time rather easily.

Zack took a seat at the dining room table as Cloud prepared a simple meal with what food they had left. They both ate in silence thinking of the visit they were expecting shortly feeling a little apprehension of how it was going to be handled. Cloud was sure Sephiroth would take the bait, but if they weren't going to receive adequate compensation then they would have to scrap the idea and think of a new target.

Cloud mental scoffed at the word 'target'. Would he be willing to find a random guy to sleep with for money? He wasn't sure about that. When he and Zack started contemplating this idea, Sephiroth was the first and only man to come to mind. The professor was attractive, he couldn't deny that and the fact that Sephiroth was gay, attracted to Cloud, and now willing, Cloud felt a new kind of nervousness caused by the possibility that what they would be asking for in return would be too much.

When finished their food, Cloud cleared the table and did up the dishes before joining Zack at the table. They sat in silence, both lost in their own thoughts before they were interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

Zack looked up at Cloud and Cloud smiled back at him before getting up to answer the door.

"Good evening, professor." Cloud said as he opened the door and beckoned Sephiroth in.

"Good evening, Cloud." Sephiroth said as he stepped into the apartment. "I would prefer you not calling me 'professor' for a time, considering the circumstances of my visit." his cool voice requested as he gave a brief nod to Zack.

"As you wish, Seph." Cloud said in a flirtatious voice as he led Sephiroth towards the table. "This is my boyfriend, Zack. Zack, this is Sephiroth." He motioned between the two.

"Hello Zack." Sephiroth greeted.

Zack's jaw clenched shut as he nodded in response. Sephiroth was a good looking man and that fact added to his own doubt.

"Have a seat." Cloud told Sephiroth as he pulled out a chair for the professor across from Zack and he took one by their sides. "Where to begin?"

"Why don't you begin, Zack." Sephiroth suggested, an air of businesslike professionalism surrounding him.

Zack glanced from Sephiroth to Cloud then back to the professor. "I suppose Cloud has filled you in on the details surrounding this transaction?" he said more than asked. Cloud could tell he was uptight about this whole situation but he seemed to be on board with everything when they spoke about it. "We're looking at a one-time deal. The purpose is solely to get us by until Cloud begins his career so this won't be cheap. How do you feel about that?"

Sephiroth cracked his knuckles and nodded. "Cloud isn't a common whore so he should not be compensated like one. I understand that much."

Zack nodded and leaned back into his chair. "What number pops into your head when you consider spending a night with Cloud?" Zack inwardly cringed at what he had just said. Cloud must have done the same as the blond shifted uncomfortably in his chair and looked down at his hands.

"I am no expert when it comes to purchasing company, so forgive me if I seem inappropriate." the professor stated, looking across the table at Zack. "And I realize that it has to be sufficient to get you and Cloud back on your feet. I was ball-parking it around five grand."

Cloud clenched his jaw to hide any sort of reaction. Five grand would definitely help until Zack was back to work, but he was expecting more. He began to feel dread before Zack's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"I was offered far more than that by another potential just last week." Zack said, with an air of authority. He almost sounded disgusted.

"The reason why I apologized earlier. I am no expert. Forgive me." Sephiroth said calmly as he relaxed back into his chair. "Perhaps it would be helpful to know what my competition offered."

Zack looked over at the blond who was focusing on the table. "Would you feel more comfortable not being here for this?" Zack asked Cloud with a softness in his voice reserved only for his lover.

Cloud looked up at his boyfriend and feigned a smile. "No, I'm good." He looked over at the silver-haired man with the same smile.

Zack nodded before looking back over at Sephiroth. "Significantly higher, Sephiroth, but seeing how Cloud seems more comfortable with the thought of you I don't expect you to match the other offer, but it needs to be close."

"Tell me what I'm coming close to, then?" Sephiroth requested, seeming completely at ease with the discussion.

"Thirty." Zack lied. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Cloud remaining still and was grateful that he didn't react to his lie.

Sephiroth smiled at Cloud before nodding his head. "Quite the expensive company, Cloud."

Cloud looked back at Sephiroth, smile still strong on his lips. "Just think, I have to make it worth every penny, ya?"

Sephiroth smiled back at the blond then shifted his gaze to the ravenet. "Twenty, then."

Zack fought to remain composed. He was aiming for twenty grand and didn't think he would actually achieve it. He wondered how much higher he could push for before Sephiroth called it quits. "Definitely closer to thirty than your original offer, but still quite a difference in favour of suitor number one." Zack commented out loud. "I don't know; what do you think, Cloud?"

Cloud took in a deep breath and pretended to consider it for a moment. "I definitely like the idea of Seph better, but money is the motivating factor here." He looked over at Sephiroth with his best puppy dog eyes, a look he stole from Zack. "As much as I want it to be with you, we need to make sure we'll get by until I graduate. I'm sorry, Seph, but there's just too much of a difference between offers."

"Twenty five, then." Sephiroth interjected almost panicky. "I'm afraid I'm not comfortable going any higher, but I hope that will close the gap enough for you to consider?"

Cloud leaned back in his chair and pretended to think about it. He brushed his bangs from his eyes with an idle hand then looked over at Zack with mock consideration. Of course they were going to accept the offer; they just didn't want to look too eager.

Zack's eyes met Cloud's and they exchanged a look asking whether this was something they were really going to go through with. Cloud's eyes were so clear and Zack found his answer immediately.

"Okay."

Cloud looked over at Seph with a smile.

"Do we have an agreement?" the professor asked, a smile forming on his lips. Zack could see the heat that was present when Sephiroth looked at Cloud but chose to ignore it.

"I think we do." Cloud answered with an easy grin.

"Almost." Zack interjected. "Of course there will be a couple of rules."

Sephiroth's smile turned more into a smirk as he nodded. "Go on."

Zack looked over at the blond before forcing himself to stare into the professor's eyes. "Kissing is forbidden." he felt a lump develop in his throat. "Under no circumstances are your and his lips to meet. Understand?"

"That seems fair." the professor nodded.

"And I suppose my only other rule is that…" he searched his mind for the right words but nothing was coming out. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You can't 'complete' inside."

Sephiroth looked a little confused for a moment he caught onto the meaning of Zack's vague explanation of the second rule. "That's understandable."

Zack let out another breath, relieved that he didn't need to explain himself further. "Do we have a deal, then?"

"We do." Sephiroth agreed before looking over at Cloud. "When does this take place?" he asked, licking his lips.

"When we get the cash." Zack said a little more firmly then he had intended. "That part is up to you."

"Tomorrow night, then." Sephiroth said, his eyes not leaving the blond beauty beside him. "I'll bring the cash over tomorrow around this time and take Cloud back to my place."

Cloud couldn't feel any more like a piece of meat than he did at this moment. He knew this was just sex, it wouldn't mean anything, and their financial problems would be over but he still felt uneasy now that details had been sorted out.

Zack seemed to sense this and decided to end this meeting so he could talk to Cloud privately about what had just happened. "I suppose this is it unless you have any more questions?"

"No, I think we've covered everything." the professor said, removing his eyes off Cloud finally.

"Good. We'll see you tomorrow then." Zack concluded, choosing to remain in his chair as Sephiroth stood up to leave. Cloud showed him to the door. After closing it behind Sephiroth he turned to face Zack with his back still against the door.

"How easy was that?" Cloud said with a smile.

Zack frowned and looked down at the table. "It was a lot harder to remain calm than I had thought it would be."

Cloud sighed and made his way over to Zack. He took a seat on Zack's lap and hugged him close. "Are you still okay with this?"

Zack nodded and wrapped his arms around the smaller boy. "I suppose so… as long as it remains about the money."

"What else would it be about?" Cloud asked, looking into his boyfriend's face.

Zack gave a half smile and shook his head. "Nothing. Lets get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a tough day."

Cloud nodded and led Zack to the bedroom where both boys fell into an uneasy sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day Cloud opted to skip classes in favour of spending a quiet, relaxing day at home with Zack. Although it was quiet, it was anything but relaxing. Both boys found it difficult to sit still for too long before restlessness got the better of them.

They killed the day away with a plan of what to do with the money once they received it. In Cloud's opinion, this was the longest day of his life. Without knowing the time, the day dragged on and on. It wasn't until there was a knock at the door that the two had any idea of what time of day it was.

Cloud nervously opened the door and feigned a smile at Sephiroth as he beckoned him in. "Good evening, professor."

Sephiroth entered the living room where Zack was stretched out on the couch and dropped an envelope beside the ravenet. "As I said last evening, Cloud. Please don't call me professor." He motioned to Zack's cast. "That looks painful. I didn't notice it last night."

Zack shrugged and eyed Sephiroth curiously. "It's fine. Is it all there?" he asked, eyes flicking to the envelope then back at Sephiroth.

"It is. You may count it beforehand if it'll make you more comfortable." Sephiroth offered.

"No," Cloud interjected with a smile. "I'm sure it's fine. No need to worry about that right now."

Zack nodded then looked down at his cast. His eyes focused on the little notes Cloud wrote all over it before taking a deep breath. "I want him home tomorrow."

"He'll be home in the morning before my classes begin." Sephiroth answered, eyes holding a heat that made Zack incredibly uncomfortable. "Are you ready to go?" he asked, looking over at Cloud.

Cloud nodded before looking back at Zack. "Do you mind if we have a moment before we leave?"

Sephiroth nodded. "I'll wait for you downstairs."

After Sephiroth left Cloud sat down beside Zack with a frown. "It's only sex, right? You'll remember that? To help us pay our bills."

Zack nodded, eyes still trained on his cast. "I know."

"You'll be all right?"

Zack nodded again and looked up at Cloud with a soft smile. "I'll be all right."

Cloud nodded before reaching over and wrapping his arms around his boyfriend. He took in his scent before moving his arms to the hem of Zack's shirt.

"What are you doing?" the ravenet asked, confused by the blond's actions.

"I'm taking your shirt." Cloud said matter-of-factly. "It'll make it easier to think about you the entire time." Zack gave a gentle smile before helping Cloud remove his shirt. Cloud shrugged it on after taking his own shirt off and gave Zack a kiss. "I'll be home tomorrow morning."

Zack nodded and sighed deeply. "I'll be here."

Cloud leaned in for one more kiss before he headed for the door. The two exchanged a look before Cloud left to join the professor.

To say it was an uncomfortable drive back to Sephiroth's place would be a gross understatement. Cloud tried to focus on Zack's scent on his shirt instead of make easy conversation. Sephiroth seemed to notice Cloud's unease and kept quiet himself. Cloud didn't snap out of it until Sephiroth pulled into a driveway.

"This is your place?" he unnecessarily asked. He all of a sudden felt the need to break the silence.

"Yes." the professor answered as he opened his door and stepped out of the car. He made his way to the other side and opened the passenger door. "How are you feeling?"

Cloud stepped out of the car and bit his lower lip. "I'm feeling good. How are you feeling?" he decided to turn the tables and take control over his nervousness.

Sephiroth chuckled as he took the boy's elbow in his hand and led him to the front door. "I'm really looking forward to this."

Once inside Cloud took off his boots and wandered to the living area. He looked around taking in the sight. "You have a nice place, Seph." he said easily, pretending not to notice how close the professor was. He truly did live modestly considering the disposable income he had.

"Thanks." Sephiroth replied, moving slightly closer to take in the blond's scent. "Can I interest you in a drink?"

Cloud smiled as he turned to face his professor. "That would be nice."

Sephiroth looked as though he wanted to lean down and kiss the boy but Zack had strictly forbidden it. The blond was alluring, that was for sure. He took a step back and took Cloud's hand, leading him to the kitchen. "What do you drink?"

Cloud pretended to consider it for a moment before shrugging. He reminded himself that he said during negotiations that he would have to make this worth every penny. "Red wine is for lovers."

Sephiroth looked back at the blond with a heated smile. "It sure is." he responded, leaving the boy's side to retrieve a bottle stored in a wine wrack on the counter. He pulled two glasses out of the cabinet and began pouring.

Cloud made his way behind the professor and wrapped his arms around the taller man's waist. "Barolo…" he said before a low moan. "You have taste, if I may say."

Sephiroth grinned and turned around in Cloud's arms. "You may. I'm somewhat impressed that you were able to pick out a good wine when you see it." He handed Cloud a glass and leaned against the counter, effectively pulling him closer with the motion.

Cloud unhooked an arm from around the professor's waist and took the glass. He took a sip before taking a few steps back and wandering back to the living area. "I'm not completely uncivilized." he said playfully making his way towards the couch, gingerly lowering himself to sit on the edge.

Sephiroth grabbed the bottle before following Cloud to the couch, sitting next to him. "Aged to perfection." he said as he placed the bottle on the coffee table.

"As all wines should be." Cloud added, taking another sip from the glass.

Sephiroth chuckled as he placed his glass on the table beside the bottle. "I wasn't referring to the wine, Cloud."

"Flirting with me, professor?" Cloud grinned and placed his glass on the table.

Sephiroth chuckled again and eyed Cloud like tempting candy. "Sorry, it's just been awhile."

"Apologize not, professor." Cloud said gingerly as he slid closer to Sephiroth. "Tell me what it is that you want me to do for you." Cloud added in a lowered voice. "Tonight is about you, after all."

Sephiroth's breath hitched as he watched the blond move closer still. "I… uh…" Cloud couldn't help but snicker at the unease so unlike the professor he knew in class. "Lets just see what happens." Sephiroth finished.

Cloud leaned over and placed a testing kiss against Sephiroth's neck. He knew it would be far more uncomfortable to wait for Sephiroth to make the first move and to be completely honest, he just wanted tonight to be over. He kissed a trail along the exposed neck to the professor's earlobe before taking it in his mouth.

He heard Sephiroth moan in the back of his throat before running a hand over the clothed chest. Cloud continued his assault on the professor's earlobe as he began unbuttoning his shirt, exposing a well-toned pale chest. He pulled back slightly. "Very nice…" he whispered, making sure to blow a delicate breath into his ear.

Sephiroth laid his head back against the back of the couch and allowed his eyes to flutter shut. Cloud took this opportunity to quietly take a deep breath and let it out slowly to calm his nerves. He had never been with another man before Zack so it was weird being with someone who he was unfamiliar with. He recomposed quickly and moved so that he was straddling the professor's hips.

Sephiroth opened his eyes at the new position and dropped them to Cloud's hips, legs completely spread over his body. Upon looking up at impossibly big blue eyes, he felt himself lean forward to capture those pink lips.

By instinct, Cloud leaned forward too before moving his head at the thought of Zack's rule: no kissing. He dropped his lips to the juncture connecting Sephiroth's neck to his shoulder and massaged it with his lips. He felt the professor buck his hips slightly before letting out another moan.

The blond dropped his hands to Sephiroth's chest and dragged short nails across the skin. He was awarded with another thrust upwards by his professor before the older man ravaged his throat with kisses. Cloud tilted his head to allow better access before coming to the realization that hickies were probably not going to be appreciated by his boyfriend.

The blond put his hands flat against Sephiroth's chest and pulled back slightly to stop the assault only to be held in place by strong hands. "Seph… no marks." he requested lowly, keeping his tone lighthearted but was only answered by a grunt as the professor continued his work. "Seph…" Cloud tried again. He couldn't lie to himself; it felt good and it was definitely having quite the effect on him, but it would only serve as a reminder of what happened after the night was over. Drastic times call for drastic measures. "Seph… behave or I'll have to punish you…" he said with a chuckle.

Sephiroth looked up at the blond with a heated glare. "Punishment, ya?"

Cloud grinned before adjusting his expression to a playful pout. He reached back behind him and grabbed his glass before taking a sip. "You don't follow orders that well, do you professor?"

"Cloud, don't call me prof-"

He stopped speaking as Cloud dumped some wine on his stomach. Cloud looked down at the wine pooling by Sephiroth's stomach and smirked. "Oops…" he said with another playful pout.

The professor's jaw hung at the playful little game Cloud was playing. He liked to way Cloud was taking control and was enjoying just watching the blond.

Cloud's pout turned decidedly evil as he shifted on Sephiroth's body and slid down to the floor by the professor's feet. "Clumsy me…" he said lowly before leaning up and running a tongue over a perked nipple causing the older man to moan. "I suppose I should clean this up." he continued as his tongue trailed lower towards the pooled wine. He took a single lap at the wine with his tongue before looking up at the heated expression on the professor's face. "Do you not think so?"

Sephiroth fought to keep his breathing under control. It had been far too long since he'd been with anyone and even longer since he played cute little games during. The blond sure knew how to play, though. He nodded his head as his voice wasn't working, eyes never leaving the lush lips slightly stained with the red wine.

Cloud, noticing this, gave his lips a slow lick before pursing them in a way that drove Zack crazy. "As you wish, professor." he almost whispered before bowing down and licking at the wine. He made sure to exaggerate every swipe of his tongue for emphasis and continued to lick and tongue the area after the mess was cleaned up. He felt Sephiroth shift under him and could feel the intense heat radiating from inside the older man's pants.

He continued with his ministrations and he hands ghosted up the professor's thighs towards the belt. Cloud didn't miss the low groan from the back of Sephiroth's throat as he began working on unlatching the belt. Sephiroth shifted again but other than that fought to remain still; he wanted to see what Cloud had in mind. Once the belt was undone, Cloud immediately began working on his pants and gently shuffled them down lean legs once he successfully unfastened them. He tried not to think too much about what he was about to do to his professor.

Sephiroth continued to watch the blond in lustful fascination as Cloud tongued along the rim of his boxers. He attempted to calm his breathing but it was an impossible task considering what was going on. Cloud slipped a finger under the rim of the boxers and tugged them down slightly as his tongue traveled further down to the newly exposed flesh. Blue eyes flashed up to meet the professor's momentarily before they focused back down at the task at hand.

Cloud continued to tug the boxers down Sephiroth's hips slowly revealing his arousal that hid beneath and soon disposed of them completely. He trailed light kisses along his hip bones, purposefully avoiding any contact with the area that needed attention the most. Sephiroth stifled another moan as he laid his head back down against the back of the couch and closed his eyes. He was beyond aroused and Cloud seemed determined to take things slow. He, of course, had no objections.

Cloud breathed hot breath against the over sensitized flesh as his tongue worked the area surrounding Sephiroth's erection. It was only a moment before the professor couldn't help but gently thrust upwards in a silent plea of what he really wanted. Cloud took a deep breath, registering Zack's scent from his shirt and reminded himself of why he there doing the things he was doing. A part of him felt ashamed about what was happening but another part felt almost a sense of pride that he would be able to make things better for him and Zack. He tried to push those thoughts to the back of his mind.

Sephiroth let out another moan which effectively brought Cloud back to the present, noticing the gentle torture he was inflicting on the older man. He gave a small smirk before brushing his tongue against the under length of Sephiroth's cock which won him a strangled whimper from the professor above. He placed a few more kisses along the length before taking the tip in his mouth and running his tongue over the head a few times causing a more vocal reaction.

"Gods, Cloud… please…"

Cloud hummed at the back of his throat before relaxing it enough to swallow the length whole. The professor cursed silently under his breath and began a more evident thrusting pace into the blond's mouth. Cloud couldn't help but feel a little smug that he had such an effect on Sephiroth and he could feel his own arousal respond to the situation. He hummed once more around the erection before he began a bobbing motion over it.

Sephiroth reached down and buried his hand in the blond spikes, guiding Cloud to the pace he wanted most. His eyes remained closed as wave after wave of pleasure cascaded over his body. The blond was damn good and for a moment he felt almost envious towards Zack for having this beauty all to himself. To himself… well, not really right now; Sephiroth grinned between moans as he felt a familiar heat grow between his legs.

"Cloud…" he moaned as his erection began to throb. "Slow down…"

Cloud reached up and took Sephiroth's hand from his hair and gave it a firm squeeze. He had no intentions of slowing down. Although he had already been paid, he wanted to ensure the professor had a night he wouldn't soon forget. With that gentle squeeze Cloud increased the suction on the arousal between his lips and bobbed his head a little more rapidly.

Sephiroth grunted at the increased pressure and thrust up a little needier than previously as he felt his climax swiftly approaching. He attempted to say Cloud's name again in protest but was silenced by a spike in pleasure before he felt himself lose control. He cried out as Cloud's mouth encased him with more pressure, tongue working on the underside of his cock before he peaked and spilled his seed in the waiting mouth.

Cloud swallowed feverously as the professor continued to cry out. It was almost a surreal moment as he had never done anything like this with anyone other than Zack before. Looking up and seeing long silver hair over a pale body was in perfect contrast than what he was expecting to see; black, spiked hair above perfectly tanned skin. He watched Sephiroth come down from his high, eyes fluttering open again in glowing green watching him clean up the remaining mess from his spent cock.

Cloud delicately released the professor and sat back on his heals as Sephiroth tried to control his breathing. He smiled softly and watched the older man's mouth form an 'O' before smiling back at him.

"Did that feel nice?" Cloud asked in a lustful voice, fully aware of his own arousal seeking attention.

"Incredible," was all the professor said before taking in a deep breath.

"I hope you're not done…" the blond said as he raised an eyebrow. "We've got a lot of time left and… well, I need something from you too."

Sephiroth smiled, eyes brightening. "What is it that you need, beautiful?"

Cloud bit his lower lip, smile widening, as he climbed up the professor's legs and straddled his hips again. "I have my own problems." he said, taking Sephiroth's hand and gently brushing it against his hard-on. "And it's always more fun when someone is enjoying themselves while helping out, you know?" He did his best to keep his voice as playfully innocent as possible.

"I will fully enjoy helping you out with that; I doubt I'm done for the night. Not with a beauty like yourself keeping me company." Sephiroth replied, his eyes picking up a heat like they had earlier.

Cloud hated to admit to it, but the night wasn't going as bad as he had originally thought it would. He was rather enjoying these little games as it was usually Zack who dominated their bedroom games. If Cloud began taking control over the ravenet, Zack would lose control and pound him into the mattress until Cloud was throughout sated. He loved his lover's sex drive and he loved the man even more, but being able to play a different role over someone else, especially with Zack's permission, was proving to be fun.

"Take me to your bedroom." Cloud requested, brushing his lips from the corner of Sephiroth's lips towards his ear.

Sephiroth tilted his head in attempts to capture the blond's mouth with his own but was immediately rejected. He couldn't complain as Cloud was following the rules set out by his boyfriend and the fact that what he was doing to his ear felt so damn good. He wrapped his arms around the blond and lifted him up as he stood up from the couch. He could feel his arousal begin to pool in his groin again and Cloud thrust against him. He boy's erection was emitting such heat and Sephiroth couldn't wait to get the blond naked on his bed.

With one arm under his rear, he carried Cloud through the hallway into the dark bedroom and deposited him on the king sized bed. Cloud had a playful smile across his lips as he looked up at the naked professor eyeing him like candy. "Come get comfortable." he said as he patted the bed beside him.

Sephiroth crawled onto the bed and took a seat beside the sprawled out blond. "Let us take care of you." he whispered as he leaned over to kiss him. Cloud turned his head and offered his throat in compensation for not being able to kiss him back. Sephiroth didn't seem to mind as he moved his lips across the baby-soft skin and moaned at the scent. "Can I undress you?" he purred in the blond's ear.

Cloud pulled back with a smile and nodded. The professor's hands immediately went to the hem of Zack's shirt and lifted it over the blond's head. Cloud reached for the shirt before Sephiroth tossed it aside and pillowed it under his head as he lay back against the mattress. An understanding was exchanged between the two before Sephiroth ran his hands down the blond's torso. The older man purred once more as goose bumps formed across the blond's delicate skin as his hands traveled lower. He leaned down and placed kisses against the flesh, mimicking Cloud's previous motions as his hands began working off his pants.

Cloud turned his head to one side and caught Zack's scent from the shirt and he allowed himself to relax. He closed his eyes and fought off the urge to tremble as he imagined it was Zack's lips on his body; dark raven spikes forming an image in his mind as they traveled lower.

He felt his pants and boxers being pulled off his body, now completely exposed, as he tried to concentrate on the image of Zack in his mind. Sephiroth's voice interrupted the image.

"So perfect. So beautiful."

Cloud opened one eye, head still turned to one side seeking Zack's scent as he looked upon his professor. He wasn't surprised to see that the older man was already hard again as he scrutinized his body.

"I love it that you're so turned on by me." Cloud said with a wicked grin.

"Gods, Cloud. You have no idea." the professor responded, eyes not leaving Cloud's form. "You're so much more perfect than I imaged."

Cloud grinned and sat up. Sephiroth's eyes finally broke from their stare to meet blue that was so much closer. "Think about me like this often?" he asked playfully.

"I must confess, more than I'm willing to admit." Sephiroth responded, leaning over to attack Cloud's throat once again.

Cloud let himself moan from the attention and slipped a hand into long, silver hair. "Do you think about me when you teach?"

"Yes," Sephiroth answered between nips.

"Do you think about me at night when you're alone?" Cloud prompted, hoping that these questions would make Sephiroth even more ready.

"Yes," again, came the response between bites now.

"Do you touch yourself thinking about me?" Cloud almost hissed as the professor's lips increased in pressure.

Sephiroth let out a long groan as he gently pushed Cloud back against the mattress. "Yes."

Cloud spread his legs and thrust his hips up against the professor, moaning at the friction against his erection between their bodies. Sephiroth moaned as well as his lips traveled back towards Cloud's lips. Cloud turned his head again and took a deep breath. "What are you waiting for then, professor?"

Sephiroth sought out Cloud's lips once again, immediately being rejected by the blond and growled in frustration. "Turn around." he said a little more harshly than he had intended.

"Make me." Cloud retorted like a child, pouting slightly as the professor pulled back with a creased brow.

"I said," Sephiroth said, taking Cloud's hips in his hands and flipping him stomach down on the mattress. "Turn over."

This couldn't be more perfect for Cloud. He propped himself up on his elbows and clutched Zack's shirt. He lifted his hips slightly and turned his head though his eyes remained on the mattress. "Pushy, aren't we, professor."

Sephiroth growled once more before pushing his body flush up against Cloud's backside. He held the blond's hips in front of him and brushed a finger against his opening. "You're such a tease." he said lowly.

"How do I tease?" Cloud asked, knowing full well that Sephiroth probably had an answer lined up for him. He wiggled his hips slightly against the intrusion and moaned as Sephiroth began to prepare him.

"You look like this. You sit there in my class with those eyes focused on me and I want nothing more than to take you on my desk." Sephiroth began to explain as he moved his fingers inside the blond. "You play with your pen in your mouth and sometimes I can't focus on what I'm trying to say in class. That pen, sliding in and out…" he continued, demonstrating with his fingers inside the blond. "I can't get that image out of my head at night."

Cloud moaned as the professor hit a particularly sensitive spot inside his body. He buried his face in Zack's shirt and smiled as Zack's image filled his mind.

"And you walk so gracefully, like your body is begging to be fucked." Sephiroth said, leaning down and kissing the space between Cloud's shoulder blades. "But you're always so far out of reach." Cloud could hear Sephiroth's breath quicken as his fingers pulled free from his body. "You're such a tease." he concluded as he slammed into the blond's body.

Both men shouted out at the initial entrance. The professor stayed completely still so he wouldn't lose control right away. Cloud squeezed his eyes shut and attempted to adjust to the feeling of being filled so quickly. He refocused on Zack's scent and his body relaxed.

It didn't take long for Sephiroth to find a forceful, quick pace that satisfied them both. He stopped talking all together and the only noised that could be heard over their moaning and grunting was the sound of their bodies slapping together.

Cloud would be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying getting pounded by his professor, but he kept Zack's shirt close and thought about the ravenet up until the very end. He knew he had to remain in control to ensure that Zack's other rule was enforced. He couldn't allow Sephiroth to climax inside of him and through his own approaching orgasm, he fought to keep a clear head.

"On me…" he huffed out between moans. "Do it on me, Seph. Not in."

Sephiroth growled as he put a little more force into his thrusts. "Tell me when." was all he could manage.

Cloud tried to take a deep breath but failed as a hand snaked around his waist and began stroking his weeping erection. He cried out and knew all was lost. His body convulsed and he spilled his seed all over the bed below him, all the while burying his face in Zack's shirt. Zack's scent helped him calm down as his arousal gave a few more twitches before he felt the professor's thrusts falter.

Sephiroth cried out Cloud's name as he pulled out just in time for his own orgasm. Cloud felt the professor's seed coat his back as the older man moaned before collapsing on top of him.

It was a few minutes before either of them could talk again. Cloud rolled out from under the professor, taking Zack's shirt with him. He sighed in relief as he inspected it and discovered it remained untouched from their activities.

Sephiroth opened one eye and smiled at the blond. "Shower is over there." he said, pointing towards the ensuite.

Cloud smiled and gathered his clothes before retreating toward the shower. He closed the door behind him and turned on the water before he could get a look at himself. He didn't want to see the evidence of what had just happened; he just wanted it off.

He turned the heat up and grabbed the soap, lathering his body before rinsing and repeating the cycle a few more times before he felt clean again. He rested his head against the cool tile in the shower as he began to miss Zack. His heart throbbed for the ravenet and he wanted nothing more than to go back home and curl up in bed surrounded by his warmth. He contemplated asking Sephiroth to take him home, but he thought better of it. The professor had already told him that he would take him home the next morning.

Cloud let out a soft sigh as he turned off the water and stepped out of the tub. He grabbed a towel and dried himself before climbing back into his clothes. He pulled Zack's shirt over his head and inhaled his scent before stepping out of the bathroom.

Sephiroth had already changed the sheets and pulled on night clothes before climbing into bed. He smiled at the blond before tilting his head. "Did you want the bed? I can sleep on the couch if it makes you more comfortable."

Cloud threw on an easy smiled and shook his head. The man did pay good money. "No, if you don't mind, I'd like us both to stay here." He was on the home stretch now. He just had to play it cool until Sephiroth brought him home.

Sephiroth's smile widened as he flipped the sheets on the other side of the bed down in invitation for the blond to join him. Cloud crawled into the fresh sheets and snuggled close to the other man. He felt Sephiroth's arms snake around him and pull him closer. The blond buried his head closer, in effect, drawing Zack's shirt closer to his face as he took in is scent with a content sigh.

"That was incredible, Cloud." the professor said as his eyes fluttered shut.

Cloud smiled and let his eyes fall shut where Zack's image awaited him. "It was."

-.-.-.-

Zack woke up the next morning feeling very much unrested from the practically sleepless night he had. He stretched and sat up in bed, frowning down at Cloud's side of the bed. He hated waking up alone.

He swung his feet over the edge of the bed and grabbed his crutches, making his way to the dining room. He had counted the money several times throughout the night for a lack of anything better to do. In all honesty, he wanted to smash something or tear the apartment apart, but the money reminded him of why this was going on.

When Cloud came home they would deposit the money in the bank then start writing cheques towards their overdue balances. When their power came back on and they had a huge feast, then they could put this all behind them and get on with their lives.

He glanced back at the clock with a scowl when he remembered that it didn't work and he had no idea when to expect Cloud home. He was becoming more restless by the second and needed a distraction. He rested his head against his hands and was startled when he heard Cloud come through the door.

He looked up with wide eyes and was relieved that the blond didn't invite the professor up. He couldn't be responsible for his reaction if he saw the silver-haired man again.

"'Morning," Cloud offered with an uneasy smile.

Zack stayed silent as he watched his boyfriend kick off his boot and head towards him. Cloud leaned down to offer a kiss but was rejected almost immediately. Blue eyes clouded up and his eyebrow creased.

"Can you take a shower, babe?" Zack requested, eyes softening in hopes of easing the pain he had just inflicted.

Cloud bit his lower lip as his hands rung the hem of Zack's shirt. "Sure," he said with a nod. "Your rules were followed completely, just so you know." he added softly.

Zack smiled gently at Cloud before reaching out and tugging on Cloud's arm. He pulled the blond close and gave him a quick kiss before nodding. "I know they were, babe. I'd just be more comfortable-"

"I know." Cloud interrupted with a smile. "I'll be back."

Zack listened to the water in the shower and sighed deeply. Cloud's major concern with this whole deal was not letting the sex come between them and as awkward as Zack felt at the moment, he scolded himself for being too harsh when Cloud first came home. It couldn't have been easy for him, either.

Cloud came back into the dining room fresh from the shower in new clothes as he towel dried his hair. He didn't want to be the first one to speak; luckily, Zack wanted to.

"We need to go to the bank to deposit this." he said with an easy grin, motioning to the cash.

Cloud nodded. Deep down, he knew everything was going to be all right. Class with professor Sephiroth was going to be awkward for the rest of the semester, but he'd hide behind his shy smiles and ensure he never needed extra help. Yeah, they were going to be just fine.

-.-.-.-

Both Zack and Cloud jolted awake by the sound of the alarm clock. The clock said ten in the morning but the sky outside told them otherwise. Cloud began giggling causing Zack to look to him with mild confusion.

"Guess we never turned off the alarm after the power went out." the blond said between giggles as he leapt out of bed and left the bedroom.

"Where are you going?" Zack called after him. He went to move but hissed in pain as he twisted his leg the wrong way.

Cloud came back and sat on Zack's side, adjusting the time. "Just finding out that we were woken up at three-forty in the morning." he said, a delighted smile still playing across his lips. "I suppose the power company received our payment."

Zack grinned at the blond and wrapped his arms around his lean waist. "Know what that means?" he chuckled. "Someone's going to be making me a monstrous feast for dinner."

"Who?" Cloud smiled as he looked over his shoulder at his grinning boyfriend. He knew Zack loved it when he played dumb blond.

"You, silly!" he almost shouted as he flipped Cloud over his body onto the bed beside him. Cloud continued to giggle as Zack began a tickle attack. "I want three dinners tonight!"

"All right! All r-ah! All right!" Cloud laughed as he tried to squirm out of Zack's attack. "You've got your feast; just stop tickling me!"

Zack smiled as he ceased his attack and hovered over the blond. "I love you." he said as he leaned down and rubbed his nose against Cloud's.

"I love you too." Cloud responded, smiling happily up at his boyfriend. "Even though you are a pig sometimes."

Zack's jaw dropped open as he resumed his tickle attack. Cloud screamed mercy to no avail, but honestly, he was just happy that everything was back to normal.

-o-o-o-

I would love to hear what you thought! Please leave me a review?


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